The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday adjourned Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif’s appeal against his conviction in corruption cases to November 29.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb presided over the proceedings of the two-member bench.
Nawaz Sharif earlier appeared before the IHC to seek the restoration of his appeals, which were dismissed for non-prosecution while he was abroad for medical treatment.
At outset of the hearing today, PML-N’s counsel Amjad Pervez informed the bench that the Supreme Court had established a joint investigation team (JIT) to investigate corruption allegations against Nawaz Sharif.
He highlighted the apex court’s April 20, 2017 order, which outlined the formation of the JIT and its mandate.
The counsel emphasized that the 2017 Supreme Court verdict empowered the JIT to investigate the matter and directed the filing of references after the disqualification of then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in July 2017.
Responding to the judges’ inquiries, Advocate Pervez detailed that the NAB was instructed to file references within six weeks of the verdict, with a mandate for the relevant court to announce decisions within the same timeframe.
Regarding the Avenfield reference, Pervez argued that the NAB had failed to prove Maryam Nawaz’s beneficial ownership of the apartments, a point acknowledged by IHC CJ Farooq. The counsel asserted that the burden was on the prosecution to establish Nawaz Sharif’s ownership and his children’s benamidar status.
Following the arguments, IHC CJ Farooq adjourned the case until November 29.
In July 2018, Nawaz Sharif, the former prime minister, received a 10-year jail term in the Avenfield reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) following a Supreme Court order. Additionally, he was sentenced to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference on December 24, 2018, along with fines amounting to Rs1.5 billion and $25 million.
In December 2020, Nawaz Sharif was declared a proclaimed offender in both references after departing for London with the court’s approval for medical treatment. However, he returned to Pakistan last month, concluding nearly four years of self-imposed exile.
